Wellington social media figure Graham Bloxham has been arrested and charged for a second time in a week, following police action related to posts published on the popular Wellington Live Facebook page.

Police confirmed Bloxham was arrested at his home and charged under the Harmful Digital Communications Act. The charges relate to online posts that allegedly made serious and damaging claims about another Wellington man. Bloxham has been released on bail and is due to appear in the Wellington District Court later this month.

The arrest follows an earlier incident days before, when Bloxham was taken into custody after a confrontation at a protest in the capital. No charges were laid in that earlier matter.

Wellington Live is one of the city’s largest community-focused social media pages, with a substantial following and significant influence over local online discourse. While Bloxham has previously described himself as the founder of the page, he has stated that he is not responsible for all of its content and has distanced himself from certain posts now under scrutiny.

When asked for comment, Bloxham said the situation had been deeply distressing and unfair. He claimed the chain of events leading to his arrest was driven by misinformation and personal targeting rather than evidence.

“It was sad that the national broadcaster told an Auckland investigation who subbed the work to a Wellington Live investigation person, who served me the day before the arrest, dishonest and defaming things about me, just to serve me a letter,” Bloxham said. “Then police were used to arrest and charge me with zero evidence implicating me personally. The police were wonderful, as always, but the whole thing was harrowing.”

Bloxham said he believes he has been the subject of an escalating campaign of abuse and false allegations, both online and in person, since becoming a high-profile figure in Wellington’s media and political landscape.

“I’ve been bullied, abused and attacked, including physically,” he said. “I’ve been called a paedophile, accused of being caught filming in women’s toilets, labelled a sex predator, violent, stupid, told I don’t pay tax, that I don’t pay my staff or rent, and that I’m a thief. It just goes on and on.”

Those allegations have not been proven in court, and police have not laid charges relating to many of the claims circulating online.

The case has again raised questions about accountability, editorial control and legal responsibility for large social media pages that operate outside traditional media structures but wield comparable reach and influence. Legal experts note that under New Zealand law, individuals associated with publishing harmful or defamatory content online can face criminal charges if the statutory threshold is met, regardless of whether the platform is informal or community-based.

Bloxham has previously attracted public attention through an unsuccessful mayoral campaign and a series of controversies linked to Wellington Live. Supporters argue he has been unfairly targeted for his outspoken style, while critics say the page has at times crossed the line between community news and unverified allegation.

As the matter now before the courts, Bloxham says he is focused on clearing his name. Police have declined to comment further while proceedings are ongoing.